As per the Global Health Security (GHS) Index 2021, the world’s average overall GHS Index score was reduced to 38.9 (out of 100) in 2021, from a score of 40.2 in the GHS Index, 2019. India ranked 66 out of 195 countries with an overall Index score of 42.8 and along with a change of -0.8 from 2019.
- The United States of America (USA) ranked 1st on the index with a score of 75.9 followed by Australia and Finland.
- No countries scored in the top tier (no country scored above 75.9) of the GHS index, with 58 percent of countries scoring below average for rapid response to and mitigation of the spread of an epidemic.
Note – India ranked 57th in the GHS Index 2019 with a score of 46.5 out of 100.
Overall ranking of GHS Index 2021:
| Rank | Country | Score/100 | Change from 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | India | 42.8 | -0.8 |
| 1 | United States of America | 75.9 | -0.3 |
| 2 | Australia | 71.1 | -2.1 |
| 3 | Finland | 70.9 | -1.1 |
| 4 | Canada | 69.8 | +2.2 |
| 5 | Thailand | 68.2 | -0.7 |
Rank of India under different categories:
The 2021 GHS Index assesses countries across 6 categories, 37 indicators, and 171 questions.
| Category | India’s Rank | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Prevention of the Emergence or Release of Pathogens | 85 | 29.7 |
| Early Detection & Reporting Epidemics of Potential International Concern | 51 | 43.5 |
| Rapid Response to and Mitigation of the Spread of an Epidemic | 139 | 30.3 |
| Sufficient & Robust Health System to Treat the Sick & Protect Health Workers | 56 | 46.1 |
| Commitments to Improving National Capacity, Financing Plans to Address Gaps, And Adherence to Global Norms | 92 | 47.2 |
| Overall Risk Environment and Country Vulnerability to Biological Threats | 73 | 60.2 |
Key Analysis of the Report:
i.The global average for the ‘prevention of the emergence or release of pathogens’ is 28.4 out of 100, making it the lowest-scoring category within the GHS Index.
ii.Some 101 countries high, middle and low-income countries, including India, have slipped in performance since 2019.
iii.Some 90 countries have not fulfilled their full financial contribution to the World Health Organization. 14 of those are high-income countries.
iv.65 percent of assessed countries had not published and implemented an overarching national public health emergency response plan for diseases with epidemic or pandemic potential.
v.79% of the countries did not allocate national funds in the last two to three years to address the epidemic threats.
vi.The average score in the health system category is 31.5 out of 100, with 73 countries scoring in the bottom tier. As per the GHS index 2021, countries across all income levels remain dangerously unprepared to meet future epidemic and pandemic threats.
About GHS Index:
It is an assessment and benchmarking of health security and related capabilities across 195 countries. It is developed in partnership with the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. It was 1st launched in October 2019.
Recent Related News:
On October 29, 2021, NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog released a comprehensive 2021 report titled ‘Health Insurance for India’s Missing Middle’ stating the current situation, existing gaps in the health insurance coverage across the Indian population and offers recommendations to increase health insurance coverage.
